Ball painting machine



vMay 22, 1951 F. TL D'mcoLL ETAL BALI. PAINTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1947 3 750m N f e, f .O wnma r f M mmw y /6 B.

May 22, 1951 F. T. DRISCOLL Emu 25 1 BALLPAINTING MACHINE Filed May 24, 1947 5 Sheets Sheet 5 v 57/"4NLEY /7. BP/GGS JPEOEE/CK 700.560

' 9 CLOYD D sh/TH 4 rive/YEW y 1951' m. mam-um AL 2,553,902

' Em; 'f un'rmc mums Filed May 24, 1947 v s Sheets-Sheet 4 6 STANLEY f7. Bzmas 83 FZ EDE/P/a 70mm;

Patented May 22, 1951 BALL PAINTING MACHINE Frederick T. Driscoll, Cloyd D. Smith, and Stanley Morris Briggs, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Bail Ito-Nu, Inc., a corporation of California Application May 24, 1947, Serial No. 750,194

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for coating balls. It is particularly applicable to the coating of golf balls and has as one of its objects to provide a coin controlled golf ball painting machine which may be installed at the club house or at any convenient location at a golf course, making it possible for all golfers using the course to have their balls freshly repainted at the course.

The invention is, however, broadly applicable to other species of ball painting machines, such as, for example, continuously operable machines for the industrial painting of balls of various kinds.

In its broader aspect, the invention contemplates a machine embodying mechanism for automatically picking up a ball While moving uninterruptedly in a predetermined path, subjecting the ball to a painting operation at a point in said path removed from the pickup point, subjecting the hall to a drying operation during a further stage of movement along said path, and discharging the ball at a further point along said path.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide for completing the cycle of operations with a minimum wastage of the time period consumed in completing the movement of the ball through the predetermined path. To this end, the invention, in one of its more specific aspects, contemplates movement of the ball in a circular orbit, with the pickup and discharge points located at closely adjacent points on such path, whereby the pickup may occur at the beginning of the orbit and the discharge at the end of the orbit.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for supporting the ball at the pickup point and for automatically picking up the ball and withdrawing it from such supporting means.

A further object is to provide a compact arrangement of the several mechanisms for operating upon the ball. It is preferred to employ an immerson bath for the painting operation. This requires the use of a tank for holding the paint, and in order to provide for the movement of the ball into and out of such tank in a circular path, the circular path is arranged in a vertical plane, and the tank is placed at the lower extremity of the circular path. The pickup point is arranged at one side of the path, and the drying mechanism commences at the other side of the path and occupies a major portion of the upper half of the path, whereby the ball is subjected to a drying operation for a maximum period of time and right up to the point of discharge.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for supporting the ball in such a manner that the entire surface of the ball may be coated by immersion. This is accomplished by employing a pair of needle-pointed jaws adapted to grasp the ball at diametrically opposed points, such jaws being carried by a pair of inwardly constraining spring arms which are forced apart by suitable means disposed in the path of movement thereof, just prior to the time the ball supporting mechanism reaches the pickup point. The ball is supported by a yieldable fork. As the ball carrying means reaches the center of the ball, the spreading means releases the yieldable arms and permits the pointed jaws to engage the ball. The continued movement of the ball carrying means is then applied to the ball, and the yieldable supporting means is pushed back out of the way as the ball is removed therefrom.

Coating by immersion involves a number of problems. It coats the ball with a continuous film of paint which is more difiicult to dry and harden than would be, for example, a sprayed coating. A rapidly drying paint, preferably of a lacquer type, must therefore be employed. But this creates the problem of avoiding the formation of a film or scum on the body of paint in the tank. Toward the solution of this problem, the invention has, as a further object, to provide mechanism for normally maintaining the paint tank covered, automatically uncovering the tank during that portion of a cycle of operation in which the ball is being carried through the tank, and then re-covering the tank as soon as the ball has been removed from the tank.

As another means for handling this problem, the invention provides a novel and improved arrangement of tank and agitating mechanism, such as to produce maximum agitation and without unduly enlarging the space within the tank to accommodate such agitating mechanism.

Another problem arising from the use of an I time. One of the primary requisites of such a machine is the reduction to a minimum of the period of time that the golfer must wait to receive the painted ball. Accordingly, a further object of the invention is to provide drying mechanism that will act rapidly and efficiently to dry and harden the paint coating sufficiently so that when the ball is discharged, the coating will be substantially hard and tough. We have found that satisfactory results can be secured by employing a battery of infra-red lamps, arranged adjacent the path of movement of the ball, together with a means for discharging a stream of drying air upon the ball or for circulating air around the ball as it is being dried.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically releasing the ball from the ball carrying jaws at the delivery point.

Another object is to provide means for correlatin the bail rotating means with the ball releasing means so that the latter may operate properly.

Another object is to provide control means for automatically initiating and stopping the operation of the various units of the machine at the proper stages in the cycle of operation.

Another object is to provide a machine whic combines all of the foregoing characteristics in a structure that is reasonably simple, certain in its operation, not easily thrown out of order, and sufficiently inexpensive in construction, operation and upkeep.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing specification and appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a golf ball painting machine embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail of the cam for controlling the operation of the drying mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a detail of the cam for controlling the operation of the tank covering mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the machine taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the machine taken on the line 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a front view of the machine, the cover thereof being shown in section and in an open position;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the ball rotating mechanism;

Fig. 9 is another sectional View of the ball rotating mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view of the ball rotating mechanism;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the pickup portion of the machine;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the paint tank portion of the machine;

Fig. 13 is a detail of that portion of the machine which contains the battery of infra-red lamps and the rotating mechanism;

Fig. 14 is a detail sectional View or" the delivery portion of the machine;

Fig. 15 is a detail of the pickup mechanism;

Fig. 16 is a wiring diagram of the operating controls of the machine;

Fig. 1'7 is a schematic view of a modified form of the invention, suitable for use in a ball manufacturing plant, for the initial painting of new balls in quantity; and

Fig. 18 is a detail of the ball feed mechanism of Fig. 1'7.

- 7, 8 and 9).

As an example of one form in which our invention may be embodied, we have shown in Figs. 1 to 15, inclusive, a coin controlled ball painting machine embodying a casin 2 I, a door 22 hinged to the casing M as at 23 (Fig. 7), a suitable lock and handle unit E l for manipulating the door 22, a coin receiving unit 25 having a coin slot 26 and preferably embodying suitable coin selector mechanism of any known type for rejecting slugs, etc, a bail inlet 27, a ball outlet 28, and internal operating mechanism which will shortly be described. The inlet 2? and outlet 28 are preferably arranged closely adjacent each other and may be embodied in a unitary fitting 29. Also, they are preferably arranged adjacent the coin box 25. The operating mechanism includes:

General arrangement of operating mechanism The ball that is to be painted is carried in a circular path or orbit (which is indicated in Fig. '7 at 3|) by ball c rrying means which is indicated generally at A and is mounted upon a shaft 3'! for rotation about the axis of the orbit 3|.

The various units which operate directly upon the ball are arranged adjacent the orbit 3!. The casing 25 is shaped to accommodate the circular shape of the orbit 3i and therefore preferably includes a semi-cylindrical dome portion 32. Below the dome portion 32, the casing is preferably rectangular, including vertical side walls 33, a rear wall 3 5, and a shelf 35 bridging between the side walls 33.

The carrying mechanism A picks up the balland removes it from the ball supporting and pickup controlling unit B which is located at one side of the orbit 3|, preferably at a point substantially horizontally opposite the shaft 37. From the pick The ball carrying mechanism A includes an arm.

4! which is secured at one end to the forward end of the shaft 3?. For each cycle of operation oi the machine, the arm M is moved by the shaft 37 through 360 of arcuate movement about the 7 axis of the shaft 31. Such movement is initiated by the dropping of a coin in the slot 26 and is carried out by an electric motor 42, energized b the closing of a coin operated switch 43 (see Fig. 16) and energized only when the full 360 of rotation has been completed.

The motor 32 drives the shaft 31 through gearing, including a worm M on the motor shaft, driving a worm wheel 45 on a shaft 46 which carries a worm il driving a worm wheel 4t on the shaft 31. Such gearing is preferably encased in gear housing means 49 which may be mounted, as at 59, upon a horizontal bracket member 5i secured to the rear casing wall 3%. Any suitable reduction gearing for providing a reduced drive from an electric motor to the shaft 37 may be employed, and the particular arrangement above described is merely illustrative.

The ball rotating means includes a tubular stub shaft 52 rotatably mounted on the arm ii (Figs. Rotatable connection is provided by a bushing 53 secured in the stub shaft 52 and journalled upon a bolt 54 which is mounted in a sleeve 55 secured in the end of the arm 4 i, which is likewise tubular. A star wheel 55 is secured to the end of the bushing 53. The star wheel 55 has teeth that are adapted to mesh in openings 5? (Figs. 10 and 7) in a rack plate 55. The rack plate 58 is supported in a vertical plane just rearwardly of the plane of rotation of the arm 4|, upon any suitable bracket means such as the horizontal bracket members 5! and 59, and a vertical bracket member 60 which may all be secured to the rear wall 34, with the member 5 bridging between the members 59 and 5i as indicated in Fig. '7. The openings 5'! are arranged in an arc concentric to the axis of the shaft 3?, and the rack plate 58 terminates just beyond the openings 5'! in a peripheral edge which is correspondingly concentric. This permits the ball engaging fingers, which will now be described, to rotate freely beyond the peripher of the plate 58.

Secured to the outer end of the stub shaft 52 are a pair of spring fingers (ii. The fingers 5! (Figs. 5 and 13) have diverging portions 52 and parallel portions 63 extending from the ends of the diverging portions 52. Mounted in the parallel portions 63 and extending toward each other, in axial alignment, are a pair of needle-pointed ball engaging jaws 55.

The spring fingers 51 are normally disposed in a plane transverse to the plane of rotation of the arm 4!. This position of the fingers BI is deter mined by the engagement of a pair of wedge shaped lugs 65 secured to the face of the star wheel 56 (Fig. 9) in a pair of v-shaped notches 66 in the outer end of the sleeve 55. The lugs 55 are yieldingly maintained in the notches '35 by a coil spring 61 engaged under compression between the inner end of the sleeve 55 and a head 53 on the bolt 56. When the star wheel 56 engages the rack plate 58, the stub shaft 52 will be forced to rotate, and the lugs 55 will be forced out of the notches (55 by cam action and will ride past the notches as the shaft 52 rotates.

Pickup mechanism The pickup unit B (Figs. 2, 5, '7 and 15) in cludes a short chute H having an inlet registering with the inlet 21 of the fitting 25. The chute ll may comprise a pair of vertical side walls l2 (Figs. 11 and 15) having at their upper extremities flanges '53 secured to a horizontal bracket member M, and having converging lower portions terminating in downwardly extending 4 flanges '16. A retractable ball support ii (Figs. '7 and 11) has at one end a hinge eye 18 by which it is hinged upon a hinge pin is mounted in the ears 16. The pin 18 may have the additional function of tying the cars it together to maintain the proper spacing between the converging portions 15, which constitute the rollway for the ball 36. The retractable ball support l1 terminates in an upwardly curved finger 8;! against which the ball 3.6 comes to rest after having rolled through the chute ii. The support 'l'i also has a pair of lateral upwardly curved fingers 8! (Figs. 2 and 7) which cooperate with the finger to form a basket-like support for the ball 38 beyond the end of the chute ii. In order to avoid any possibility of a ball jumping over the finger 80, after having rolled down the chute Hi, we may also provide a guard finger 82 projecting downwardly from the bracket member it.

It may now be noticed that the ball is brought 6. to rest in a pickup position (shown in Fig. '7) beyond the end of the chute l l, in order that it may be engaged by the needle-pointed jaws 54 of the ball carrying mechanism. The jaws 65 move in a path which clears the inner end of the chute TI. The parallel end portions 53 of the fingers 6|, however, project beyond the end of the chute H so as to engage cams 33 which project laterally from the end of the chute. The cams 83 (Fig. 5) are formed as flanges on the ends of the side wall portions E2 of the chute ll. The camming edges of these flanges (Fig. 11) include downwardly diverging rising portions 8%, which spread the finger portions 63 as they ride downwardly thereover, until the points of the jaws 64 clear the side extremities of the ball 35. The lower ends of the cams 83 drop off sharply as at 85 to allow the jaws 54 to come together and engage the ball 35 just as their common axis intersects the center of the ball.

With the jaws in engagement with the ball, the spring fingers (ii are still spread apart under sufiicient spring bias to cause the jaws to securely grip the ball between them. This grip is sufficient to transmit the movement of the ball carrying unit A through the ball to the retractable support '11, causing the support to be pushed downwardly (as shown in Fig. 11) and outwardly beyond the path of movement of the ball, until the ball is removed from the retractable support. This downward movement of the retractable support is resisted yieldingly by a coil spring 85 (Figs. '7 and 15) one end of which is attached to the bracket member I and the other end of which is attached to an arm Bl projecting from one side of the retractable support TI. The arm 81 engages a shoulder 88 at the lower edge of the inner end portion of one of the rollways l5, projecting beyond the hinge pin L9. This forms a stop to limit the upward movement of the retractable support 1'? under the pull of the spring 86 so as to accurately position the support Tl for supporting the ball 35 in the pickup position. The entire support H including the body portion thereof, the eye 72, the fingers 55 and 5! and the arm 81, may be formed as a simple stamping.

Coating tank The tank C includes front and rear walls 3i and 92 and a bottom 93 joined to the walls 9! and 52 to form a V-shaped trough 94. The upper region of the trough 94 provides a space approximating in shape the sweep of the ball path 3!. The remainder of the trough, below the path 51, accommodates an agitator comprising a shaft 95 and a vane 95 secured thereto. The tank is just wide enough from front to rear to receive the spring fingers 6| of the ball carrying mechanism, in the normal transverse position of said fingers, and gives ample clearance between the. walls 9! and 92 and the portions 63 of the fingers. A body of paint 9'! is maintained in the trough 9 5 at a sufficient height to provide for complete immersion of the ball for a substantial period of arcuate movement thereof.

Since the use of a rapidly drying paint is contemplated, it is necessary, to avoid undue oxidation of the surface of the paint body, to maintain the tank C covered at all times except during the stage of movement of the ball through the tank. We therefore provide a cover 98 hinged at 99 to the rear wall 92 of the tank and adapted to be raised to an upstanding position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The raising of the cover is provided for by a cable I00, wound around a drum IOI, attached at one end to a. semi-circular drum segment 902 that is secured, as at I03, to the cover '08, with its periphery concentric with the hinge 99, and attached at its other end to a spring I23 which is anchored to the shelf 35 by any suitable means, such as the bracket I24. The spring I23 maintains the cable Hll yieldingly in frictional engagement with the drum I0 I.

The drum IOI is secured to an end portion of a shaft I which is rotatably and slidably journalled in a bearing I05 secured to the shelf 35. The shaft I04 is in axial alignment with the shaft 95, which projects through a bearing I05 in the rear wall 32 of the tank and has secured to its rear end a pulley I 07 that faces the drum EDI and is normally slightly spaced therefrom. The shaft 95 driven from an electric motor I09 through a pulley I I0 and a belt I I I traveling on the pulley H0 and the pulley I01. Drive is transferred to the drum IOI by shifting the same into face to face clutching engagement with the drive pulley I01. This is provided for by a shift lever II2 which engages the rear end of the shaft I34. One end of the lever is pivoted, at H3, to a bracket II4 attached to the rear housing wall 34, and the other end of the lever is acted upon by a solenoid II5 through the medium of a shaft IIES attached to the solenoid armature H1, and an over-travel spring IIS interposed between the lever H2 and a head IIB on the end of the shaft H t. The shaft II 0 passes freely through an opening I20 in the lever H2. Spring H8 is adapted to be compressed to permit the necessary over-travel of the solenoid armature in its normal operation.

The shifting movement of the shaft I04 is resisted by a coil spring I2! which encircles the shaft I04 and is engaged under compression be tween the bearing E05 and a collar I22 secured to the end of the shaft I04. The coil spring I2I normally maintains the drum IOI with its hub abutted against the bearing I05, slightly spaced from the pulley I07 @as shown in Figs. 2 and 6.

When the drum IOI is engaged with the pulley I01, it will receive rotation therefrom and transmit a pull to the cable I00 to raise the cover 98 to the upstanding position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will be stopped in this position by engagement of the drum segment I02 with the rear tank wall 92, and the pulley I0'I will then slip with reference to the drum IOI, or the drum I0! will slip with reference to cable I00, maintaining the cover 98 in the raised position until the drum MI is withdrawn from contact with the pulley I01. When this occurs, the cover 93 will return to the closed position under the pull of a spring I25 which is connected under tension between the cover and the shelf 35, or by a spring I25a connected under tension between pulley segment I02 and bracket member 5|, or by action of both springs. Alternatively, the cover 98 may be arranged to be stopped in a position short of an upright position, and be thereby adapted to return to the closed position by gravity.

Drying mechanism The drying mechanism D comprises simply a bank of infna-red lamps I26 which are arranged in an arcuate row with their centers directly behind the path of ball movement 3I. The unit D includes a fan IZ'I driven by an electric motor I28 for blowing air upwardly into an air duct I29 which terminates in a nozzle I30 directed forwardly. The nozzle I30 is preferably arcuate, extending along the path Of ball movement 3i. A partition wall I3I separates the upper dome por tion of the housing into a compartment I32 in which the lamps I26 are positioned and a compartment I33 in which the air duct I29 is positioned. The heat radiated by the lamps H5 is partially retained in the compartment I32, thus tending to concentrate the heat. The blast of air from the nozzle I30 escapes from the housing through a vent I34 in the top of the housing, and thus the fumes from the drying paint are carried away so as to speed up the drying operation.

The infra-red lamps H6 and blower fan I2'I are operated simultaneously as will be set forth more in detail hereinafter.

Discharge mechanism The discharge unit E comprises a trough I35 which has an outlet communicating with the outlet 28. The bracket I4 may include a pair of upwardly extending arms I35 between which the trough I35 is secured as at !35. The entire assembly of bracket 24, trough l! and trough I35 may be supported b means of flanges i33 on the outer edges of the arms I33, and securing ele ments, such as rivets I39 securing the flanges I38 to the housing wall. The inner ends of the side walls of the trough I 35 are provided with outwardly turned cam flanges I40 which engage between the portions 03 of the spring fingers 5| of the ball carrying mechanism to spread the jaws 54 and release the ball 36 as the latter is dropped opposite the inner end of the trough I35. The trough I35 has an upwardly curved finger I4i which engages beneath the ball and guides it into the trough.

Control circuit and operation Referring now to Fig. 16, the main drive motor 42 forms part of a circuit from a source of power through a conductor I42, the coin controlled switch 43, a conductor I43, conductors I45 and I48, and a conductor M1. The conductors I42 and I4! may constitute a service cord to the machine from a conventional power outlet. The coin unit 25 will include some known mechanism for opening the switch 43 and disposing of the coin after a predetermined length of time following the insertion of the coin (sufiicient to permit the full cycle of operation of the machine) or the circuit just described may include a limit switch adapted to be momentarily actuated when a cycle of operation of the machine has been completed; and in turn operate to open the circuit in any known manner.

It will now be apparent that the insertion of a coin will initiate one cycle of operation which will terminate when the ball carrying arm M has been moved through a complete 360 range of movement. The initial and terminal position of the arm 4| is that shown in full lines in Fig. "I. It will be noted that in this position, the axis of the arm is slightly above the center of the ball 35 resting in the pickup position. In this position, the spring arms BI will be spread or partially spread. Upon energization of the circuit of the motor 42, the arm 4| will commence to move downwardly as indicated by arrow 38, the fingers 5! will complete their spreading movement, causing the jaws 34 to move downwardly past the sides of the ball 36 until they reach the center of the ball, when they will be sprung inwardly by the tension in the fingers 6| until their points engage I the opposite sides of the ball. Continuing downwardly, the jaws 64 will carry the ball with them,

pushing the retractable ball support 11 downnormal position for supporting another ball in the pickup position.

As the ball approaches the tank unit C, the solenoid II will be energized to effect the raising of the cover 98. The mechanism for effecting this includes a cam I5I on the shaft 31, a self-opening switch including a movable switch arm I52 engaged by the cam I5I and a contact I53 into engagement with which the arm I52 is moved by the cam I5I, a conductor I54, the conductor I43, the switch 43, the conductors I42 and H51, the conductor I45, a conductor I55, the coil of the solenoid H5, and a conductor I56. The cam I5I, the peripheral contour of which is shown in Fig. 4, includes a high portion I52 of sufiicient circum ferential extent to maintain the switch I52, I53 closed just long enough to allow the ball carrying mechanism to clear the cover 98 at each end of the tank unit C.

While the solenoid II5 remains energized, the

drum IIII will be pressed against the pulley I91,

receiving rotation therefrom to exert upon the cable I50 the necessary pull to raise the cover 98 and maintain it in the raised position. As soon as the solenoid is de-energized, the retractor spring I2I will withdraw the drum IilI from engagement with the pulley I01, and the cover 98 will then return to the closed position under the pull of the springs I25 and I25a, the drum II)! and shaft I94 simply rotating to permit the cable I98 to be drawn upwardly as the cover closes.

(Fig. 11 shows the position of the ball carrying mechanism in the mid point of its movement through the paint bath 91.)

Shortly after or simultaneously with the dropping of the cover 98, the infra-red lamps I26 and the blower motor I28 are simultaneously energized by mechanism including a cam I51 on the shaft 31, a self-opening switch including a switch arm I58 engaged by the cam I51 and a contact I59 against which the cam I51 is adapted to move the arm I58; the conductor I43, switch 43, conductors I42 and I41, conductors I46 and ISI in parallel, the lamps I25 and motor I28 in parallel, and conductors I52 and IE3 in parallel. The cam I51, the peripheral contour of which is shown in Fig. 3, has a high portion I64 which is of the proper circumferential extent (approximately 180) to maintain the lamps and blower .energized throughout the movement of the ball carrying mechanism past the lamps and blower.

As the ball approaches the first of lamps I25, the star wheel 56 will engage the rack plate 58 and commence to rotate the rotatable portion of the ball carrying unit as indicated in the several dotted line positions in Fig. 13. The number of the openings 51 in the rack plate 58 is such that as the star wheel 55 disengages from the rack plate, the lugs 65 will enter the notches 66 and position the rotatable unit with the fingers BI inthe transverse plane as shown in full lines in 14, in order that the arms SI may properly ellgage the cams 140 to release the ball into the discharge chute I35.

The agitator 95, 96 is operated continuously during the operation of the machine, to stir the paint in the bath 91, and prevent the formation of scum on the surface thereof. The motor I09 10 which drives the agitator is energized from a circuit parallel to the main drive motor circuit, said parallel circuit including the switch 43, conductors I42 and I41, a conductor I65, the motor I09, a conductor I65, and the conductor I43.

Modified form of invention A number of the features of our invention may be embodied in a continuously operating ball painting machine for industrial use, such as that shown in Figs. 1'1 and 18. Fig. 17 is a schematic showing of such a machine, and therefore only the essential elements are shown. A hub I 68 has a plurality of sockets I51 in which are mounted arms 4 I In each arm 4 I is mounted a rotatable ball carrying unit including star wheel 56, stub shaft 52, and spring fingers BI, carrying jaws 64, all corresponding to the similarly numbered parts previously described. Balls 36 are fed down an inclined runway II onto a retractable ball support 11 from which they are picked up by the jaws 64, the latter being controlled by spreader cam flanges 83'. The fingers 5| leave the ends of the cams 83' at the proper point to bring the jaws 54 together upon the lowermost ball in the row of balls 36. The ball support 11 is yieldingly maintained in the ball supporting position shown in full lines by a spring 86 and a spring 86', hooked together in series. As the support 11 is pushed downwardly by the ball, the spring 86' transmits movement to a lever I68 which is secured to a shaft I59 extending through the side walls of the runway 1|. Secured to the shaft I59 within the runway 11 is a stop-finger I10 which is drawn downwardly against the next to the last ball in the row of balls, to hold back the row of balls while the lowermost ball is being removed. The spring- 85 yields when the finger I10 is stopped against the ball that it engages. The spring 86" is the retractor spring which draws both the support 11 and the finger I10 back to their normal positions when the support 11 is released.

The ball carrying units carry a series of balls through the paint tank 0' and past a battery of infra-red lamps I26 and a blower devic I21, I28, I29, I39 similar to that previously described.

We claim:

1. In a ball coating machine, a tank for a coating bath, a cover for said tank, hinged thereto, a ball carrying means for moving a ball into and out of said tank, an agitator in said tank, a shaft extending through a wall of said tank for driving said agitator, means for raising said cover, including a draw cable and a drum around which said cable is yieldingly engaged, clutch means for establishing a drive between said agitator drive shaft and said drum,- electrically operated means for engaging said clutch means, driving means for moving said ball carrying means, and control means driven by said driving means for automatically engaging said clutching means during the stage of movement of said ball carrying means in which said ball is moved into and out of said bath for transmitting, to said cable, cover raising movement.

2. In an automatic golf ball coating machine, a pair of opposed jaws for grasping a ball, a rotatable part carrying said jaws, means on which said rotatable part is mounted for rotation on an axis at right angles to the common axis of said jaws, means supporting said mounting means for swinging movement such as to move said jaws in a circular orbit of which said axis of rotation is substantially a radius, a retractable support for supporting a ball at a pick-up station near a starting point of said orbit, means disposed along a section of said orbit following said pick-up station for applying a coating to the ball, heating means disposed arcuately along said orbit beginning with a point substantially 180 degrees from said pick-up station and ending at a point substantially 90 degrees from said pick-up station, for heating the ball and drying said coating, means for slowly rotating said part as the ball is moved past said heating means whereby to spread the coating evenly on the ball, means for directing a stream of air against the ball for accelerating the drying action, and means immediately adjacent said pick-up station for spreading the jaws, releasing the ball, receiving the ball and conducting it to a discharge point.

3. A coating machine as defined in claim 2, wherein said orbit is arranged in a vertical plane, said coating means comprises a dipping tank occupying the lower section of the orbit, said pick-up station is located horizontally opposite the center of the orbit and said heating means commences diametrically opposite said pick-up station.

4. In an automatic golf ball recoating machine, a pair of opposed jaws for grasping the ball, a rotatable part carrying said jaws, a carrier on which said rotatable part is mounted for rotation, means supporting said mounting means for movement of said jaws in a circular orbit, a retractable support for supporting a ball at a pickup station near a starting point of said orbit, means to spread said jaws as they approach said pick-up station and to release them for engagement with diametrically opposed points on the ball, means disposed at a coating station following said pick-up station for applying a liquid coating to the ball, heating means disposed along a section of said orbit following said coating station, means to slowly rotate the ball as it is cariecl past said heating means, said rotating means and heating means being arranged for continued operation until the coating has been dried to a non-fluid state and for terminating said slow rotation so as to leave the jaws fixed with relation to said carrier and means immediately adjacent said pick-up station for spreading said jaws to release the ball, for receiving the ball and for conducting the ball to a discharge point.

5. In an automatic golf ball recoating machine, a pair of opposed jaws for grasping a ball, a rotatable part carrying said jaws, a carrier on which said rotatable part is mounted for rotation, means supporting said mounting means for movement of said jaws in a circular orbit, a retractable support for supporting a ball at a pickup station near a starting point of said orbit, means to spread said jaws as they approach said pick-up station and to release them for engagement with diametrically opposed points on the ball, means disposed at a coating station following said pick-up station for applying a liquid coating to the ball, heating means disposed along a section of said orbit following said coat ng station, means to slowly rotate the ball as it is carried past said heating means, said rotating means and heating means being arranged to become operative on the ball immediately at the end or" the coating operation, to continue in operation until the coating has been dried to a non-fluid state, and to terminate said slow rotation so as to leave the jaws fixed with relation to the carrier, means to circulate air over the ball during the operation of said heating means to accelerate the drying of the coating, and discharge means immediately adjacent said pick-up station and at the end of said orbit, for spreading said jaws, releasing and receiving the ball, and conducting it to a discharge point, said heating and air circulating means being effective substantially throughout the period of movement of the ball from the coating station to said discharge means.

6. In a ball coating machine, a plurality of ball carrying means movable in a circular path in a vertical plane, a coating tank disposed to receive a ball at a point near the bottom of said path, a retractable support for positioning a ball at a pickup point at a side extremity of said path above said tank, means yieldingly maintaining said support normally in a position to support a ball, said ball carrying means including jaw means including a pair of opposed needle points adapted to engage the ball at horizontally and diametrically opposite points and to carry it downwardly, forcing said support to retract out of the path of said downward movement, means for spreading said jaw means just prior to its coming opposite the ball and for then releasing said jaw means for engagement of the ball, means for moving said ball carrying means in said circular path, a downwardly inclined trough for supporting a column of balls in position to enter upon said retractable support, and means actuated by the retractable support to yieldingly engage said column of balls to restrain movement thereof toward said retractable support while the latter is being retracted.

7. In a ball coating machine, ball carrying means movable in a circular path in a vertical plane, a coating tank disposed to receive the ball at a point near the bottom of said path, a retractable support for positioning a ball at a pickup point at a side extremity of said path above said tank, means yieldingly maintaining said support normally in a position to support a ball, said ball carrying means including jaw means including a pair of opposed needle points adapted to engage the ball at horizontally and diametrically opposite points and to carry it downwardly, forcing said support to retract out of the path of said downward movement, means for spreading said jaw means just prior to its coming opposite the ball and for then releasing said jaw means for engagement of the ball, means for moving said ball carrying means in said circular path, a discharge chute disposed immediately above said retractable support and means for spreading said jaw means when the ball reaches a position opposite the receiving end of said chute, to deliver the ball into said discharge chute, said discharge chute being inclined downwardly and outwardly, to carry the ball out of the machine, and a housing for the machine, having an inlet communicating with said retractable support and an outlet communicating with said discharge chute, said inlet and outlet being disposed adjacent each other.

8. Coin controlled ball coating apparatus including a ball inlet, means communicating with said inlet for supporting a ball in' a pickup position, ball carrying means movable in a predetermined path past said supporting means, said carrying means including ball gripping means and means to actuate said gripping means as it approaches the ball supporting means so as to cause the same to straddle and then grip the ball, means to coat the ball at a subsequent stage of movement along said path, means to dry the ball at a further stage of movement along said path, control means actuated by said ball carrying means for energizing said ball drying means during the stage of ball drying movement, a discharge outlet at a final point along said path, means to release the ball from said gripping means for discharge into said outlet, electric motor drive means for moving said ball carrying means throughout said successive stages of movement, and a coin operated switch for completing a circuit to said motor for one complete cycle of operation.

9. Coin controlled ball coating apparatus including a ball inlet; means communicating with said inlet for supporting a ball in a pickup position; ball carrying means movable in a predetermined path past said supporting means, said carrying means including ball gripping means and means to actuate said gripping means as it approaches the ball supporting means so as to cause the same to straddle and then grip the ball; means to coat the ball at a subsequent stage of movement along said path; means to dry the ball at a further stage of movement along said path; said ball coating means comprising a tank for a coating bath, and a cover for said tank, electrically controlled means for raising said cover during the stage of movement of the ball through said bath, control means actuated by said ball carrying means for initiating and terminating the operation of said cover lifting means during said stage of movement; control means actuated by said ball carrying means for subsequently energizing said drying means dur ing the stage of movement of the ball past said drying means; means to release the ball from said gripping means for discharge into said outlet; electric motor drive means for moving said ball carrying means throughout said successive stages of movement; and a coin operated switch :for completing a circuit to said motor for one complete cycle of operation.

10. In an automatic golf ball coating machine, a pair of opposed jaws for grasping a ball; a rotatable part carrying said jaws; an arm on the outer end of which said part is journalled for rotation on an axis at right angles to the common axis of said jaws; means supporting the inner end of said arm for swinging movement such as to move said jaws in a circular orbit; a retractable support for supporting a ball at a pick-up station on said orbit near a starting point in the orbital movement of said jaws;

means to spread said jaws as they approach said pick-up station and to release them for engagement with diametrically opposed points on the ball; means to apply a coating to the ball at a station on said orbit following said pick-up station; means to slowly rotate the ball along a section of said orbit following the coating operation, said rotating means comprising a drive element attached to said rotatable part and a drive member disposed arcuately along the last mentioned section of said orbit, the rotatable connection between said part and said arm being such as to provide for free rotation of said part solely in response to the coaction between said drive element and drive member, whereby the rotation of said part will terminate when the drive element and drive member become disengaged, the terminal end of said drive member being so located that disengagement will occur when said jaws are in a plane normal to the plane of said orbit, self-centering interacting latching means on said rotatable part and said arm respectively; resilient means for yieldingly urging said latching means into interengagement such as to accurately locate said jaws in said normal plane when said jaws are not being rotated, said resilient means yielding to allow said latching means to disengage so as to permit the rotation of said rotatable part; and means immediately adjacent to said pick-up station for spreading said jaws apart to release the ball, for receiving said ball and for conducting the ball to a discharge point.

FREDERICK T. DRISCOLL.

CLOYD DANIEL SMITH.

STANLEY MORRIS BRIGGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 721,155 Claus Feb. 24, 1903 1,143,464 Todd 1 June 15, 1915 1,229,428 Fabritius June 12, 1917 1,589,711 Martinez June 22, 1926 1,662,816 Bigelow Mar. 20, 1928 1,681,301 Maggi Aug. 21, 1928 2,012,816 Holt et al Aug. 27, 1935 2,079,614 Holt et a1. May 11, 1937 2,079,615 I-Iolt et al May 11, 1937 2,375,113 Klammt et al. May 1, 1945 

